Changed
by L'il Senzu
Summary: Goku is home now...and he begins to notice that things aren't exactly how he left them...specifically involving his eldest son. Different POV for me. slight angst. You can put it after SON GRIN if you want. I was bored. One Shot. flames accepted. Please R


And once again I am going for the relationship between Goku and his sons...only this time, I'm going to try a different view on it. Tell me what you think and save no cruelties or truths!  
  
I do not own dragon ball z or anything on that show.  
  
Oh, if you want to connect my stories, they can be in this order:  
  
1 My Little Family 2 Father? 3 Son Grin 4 Changed  
  
Changed  
  
About three days have passed since the end of Kid Buu and normality has returned. I was allowed to stay on Earth, which is great. I really missed everyone a lot. I can finally spend some real time with my friends and family. Speaking of that, here I am at home, with my family.  
  
Chi-Chi is in the kitchen. Goten was sitting next to me, talking about a mile a minute, but now he's quiet, so I guess he fell asleep...Yep, he did. Amazing. For a while I wondered if he could sleep. It still amazes me how much he looks like me. Every time I look at him, its like looking into a time portal thing.  
  
Gohan is...Where is Gohan?  
  
Glancing around I manage to spot my eldest son sitting in a tree and reading yet another book. I've never really liked how Chi-Chi always makes Gohan study so hard. I'd tell her so...but she is really scary when she wants to be...and that is quite often. I decide to go give him a break.  
  
Getting up, I walk over to the tree. Gohan doesn't look down.  
  
"Hey, son." I call to him. He doesn't put his book down. "Gohan?" I call again, when he doesn't answer I change the tone of my voice slightly. "Want to come down here?" I don't really put it as a question.  
  
After a moment he puts his book down and hops down from tree. "Yeah...dad?" he asks. His tone is irritated.  
  
I scratch the back of my head nervously. Why had I called him down? Oh yeah, to distract him from his studies for a while. "So Gohan, how have you been?" I ask, sitting down.  
  
Gohan sighs, before sitting down and leaning against the tree. "Fine." He answers shortly.  
  
"Uh...so how were things while I was gone?" I try again.  
  
"Fine..." he saw I wanted something more, so he went on, "Goten trained, I studied, mom cooked. Just like when you're here." He answers.  
  
"Oh." This isn't working. We really haven't talked a lot, and it bothers me a little. It used to be that we would always talk, about everything. Sometimes I used to have trouble getting him to stop talking...where is that now?  
  
We sit in silence for a moment. I'm not sure what to say to him...back when he was little, it was easy. We could talk about anything...and we never even had to talk. I don't remember the silences to be this uncomfortable, though.  
  
"So you're how old now, Gohan? About...fourteen?" I ask, at least that was how old I figure he should be.  
  
He looks at me strangely, like he is hurt or angry...or both. "I'm eighteen, Goku." He pauses. "I mean dad."  
  
I just nod my head. This is the third time he has accidentally called me Goku since I've been at home....but it had taken him a lot longer to correct himself this time. We sit there for a second before Gohan gets up.  
  
"I've gotta get back to reading." He says.  
  
"Hey, that's why I came out here, so you could take a break from studying..." Then I get an idea...something that really didn't even need much talking. "Lets go train a little, eh son?"  
  
He looks at me for a long moment. I can't really name his facial expression. Then he slowly shakes his head.  
  
"Gee, dad...I'd love to...really. But I'm kinda reading right now..." he pauses. "I _want_ to read."  
  
"Oh..." I hesitate...this really doesn't make any sense... "Well...then I'll leave you to it." I say slowly. With a nod, and a small smile that doesn't seem to mean anything, he pulls himself back up into his tree.  
  
I think about waking up Goten, but I figure I'll never get him back to sleep, so I just go into the house...  
  
Things have changed.  
  
..  
  
I love Chi-Chi...but I really love her cooking. Its one of the things I missed most while being dead. I'm on my seventh plate, when Gohan comes down the stairs.  
  
"'Morning mom..." he pauses. "'Morning dad."  
  
"Would you like something to eat, Gohan?" Chi-Chi asks.  
  
"Nah, mom. I'm going to meet Piccolo, and you know how he can't stand it if I'm late. I'll be back before lunch, okay?" he answers, as he puts on his boots.  
  
"Okay, Gohan, but you have got to get to your studies when you get home, okay?" My wife responds.  
  
I watch all of this as a spectator. I have no say in any of it...like an invisible man.  
  
"Sure thing, mom." He is about to leave.  
  
"Gohan?"  
  
"Yeah?" he turns to face me.  
  
"If you can wait one minute, I'll head up there with you. It's been a little while since I've sparred with Piccolo." I say, about to get ready.  
  
He looks at me, and I can see the discomfort in his eyes. "Uh...well, we're not really gonna spar, Go—dad...we were just gonna talk..." he pauses. "And probably meditate for a while. You know how you hate to meditate, dad." He adds quickly.  
  
My hope of an afternoon with my son and my friend falls immediately. I do hate meditating. I mean, its sooo boring. I usually just fall asleep...I didn't know Gohan did that now... but this talking...whatever it is, why can't Gohan talk to me about it? I almost had thought that Gohan doesn't talk much now, but if that is the case, why is he going to see Piccolo...to talk to him?  
  
He looks like he's going to leave again. "What're you going to talk to Piccolo about?" I ask, keeping my tone purely curious.  
  
Gohan shrugs. "...Fighting and stuff...I guess. We just need to talk." He says slowly.  
  
Fighting? I knew all about that. Why couldn't he talk about this to me? I'm going to ask him, I decide. I look and see he is about ready to walk out the door.  
  
"Oh...okay... Gohan?"  
  
He turns to face me a bit impatiently. "Yeah, Goku?" He snaps.  
  
I nearly cower at his tone. He doesn't realize he just called me Goku again...or if he does he didn't correct himself.  
  
"Nothing...just..." I hesitate, then decide against it. "Just have fun, son." I mutter.  
  
He looks at me like I'm insane. "Uh, sure thing. Well...see ya." He flashes me a smile that would have been the exact replica of our famous Son Grin...if his eyes weren't so...dark...and the opposite of what that grin represents...so **un**happy. Then he steps out and shuts the door behind him. He'll just be a little late to see Piccolo...  
  
But how late was I to see my son?  
  
I've been gone too long. Nothing is how it was.  
  
Someone said change is a good thing. I'd like to meet that person and ask them why. 


End file.
